Display device and display control method

Abstract

The display device including a touch panel comprises a display unit having a screen that displays information according to a touch operation, and a controller that detects a plurality of contact positions on the screen according to the touch operation and controls the display unit to display first selection information at a position spaced from the plurality of contact positions by a predetermined distance. When at least one contact position of the plurality of contact positions is moved in the screen, the display unit moves and displays the first selection information on the screen to and at a position spaced from the moved contact position by the predetermined distance. The display device with a touch panel is easy for a user to operate by touching.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A display device comprising:
 a display unit including a screen and a touch panel;   the touch panel configured to sense a touch on the screen; and   a controller configured to detect a plurality of contact positions on the screen where a plurality of touches are made, the controller being configured to control the display unit based on the detected plurality of contact positions,   wherein the display unit is configured to display first selection information at a first information position on the screen, the first information position being spaced from the plurality of contact positions by a predetermined distance, and   when at least one contact position of the plurality of contact positions is changed, the display unit changes the first information position so as to maintain the predetermined distance between the first selection information and the at least one contact position on the screen.   
     
     
         2 . The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the display unit is configured to display second selection information when an item of the first selection information has been selected, the second selection information varying depending on the selected item of the first selection information. 
     
     
         3 . The display device according to  claim 2 , wherein the display unit is configured to display the second selection information at a second information position on the screen, the second information position corresponding to a contact position different from other contact positions of the plurality of contact positions corresponding to the first selection information. 
     
     
         4 . The display device according to  claim 2 , wherein the display unit is configured to stop displaying the first selection information when displaying the second selection information. 
     
     
         5 . The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the display unit is configured to display two or more items of the first selection information corresponding to two or more contact positions of the plurality of contact positions, respectively. 
     
     
         6 . The display device according to  claim 5 , wherein the two or more items of the first selection information are identical with each other, and
 the display unit is configured to stop displaying one of the two or more items of the first selection information when another one of the two or more items of the first selection information has been selected.   
     
     
         7 . The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the display unit is configured to display the first selection information so as to be disposed along at least part of a circle that encompasses a hand of a user placed on the screen. 
     
     
         8 . The display device according to  claim 7 , wherein the display unit is configured to change the first information position by moving the first information position in a rotation direction of the circle on the screen in response to a touch operation performed by the user. 
     
     
         9 . The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine a first contact position and two or more second contact positions among the plurality of contact positions based on a distance between the plurality of contact positions, the first contact position corresponding to a thumb position of a user touching the screen, the two or more second contact positions corresponding to finger positions of the user other than the thumb position; and   determine a first selection information display position to display the first selection information based on the first contact position and the two or more second contact positions.   
     
     
         10 . The display device according to  claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to have the display unit display the first selection information at two or more first information positions, the two or more first information positions including a position corresponding to the first contact position and a position corresponding to at least one second contact position closer to the first contact position among the two or more contact positions. 
     
     
         11 . The display device according to  claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine whether a user hand touching the screen is a left hand or a right hand, based on the first contact position, the two or more second contact positions, and a positional relation between the first contact position and the two or more second contact positions; and   determine the first selection information display position based on a determination result on the user hand.   
     
     
         12 . The display device according to  claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 estimate a size of the user hand touching the screen, based on a positional relation between the two or more second contact positions; and   determine the first selection information display position based on the estimated size of the user hand.   
     
     
         13 . The display device according to  claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 detect a center of the user hand touching the screen, based on the first contact position and the two or more second contact positions; and   determine the first selection information display position to be a position along a circle centered at the detected center of the user hand.   
     
     
         14 . The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine whether the first selection information display position is within a display area on the screen; and   change the first selection information display position so as to be within the display area when determining that the first selection information display position is outside the display area.   
     
     
         15 . The display device according to  claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to change the first selection information display position by rotating the first selection information display position toward the display area along the circle, when determining that the first selection information display position is outside the display area. 
     
     
         16 . The display device according to  claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine whether the first selection information display position is more than a specific distance away from the first contact position; and   change the first selection information display position to a position corresponding to a second contact position of the two or more second contact positions that is closer to the first contact position, when determining the first selection information display position is more than the specific distance away from the first contact position.   
     
     
         17 . A display control method using a display device including a screen and a touch panel, comprising:
 detecting a plurality of contact positions on the screen where a plurality of touches are made;   displaying on the screen first selection information at a first information position on the screen, the first information position being spaced from the plurality of contact positions by a predetermined distance; and   when at least one contact position of the plurality of contact positions is changed, changing the first information position so as to maintain the predetermined distance between the first selection information and the at least one contact position on the screen.